Heel support for water skis



Jan. 12, 1960 R. E. JAHN ETAL 2,920,331

HEEL SUPPORT FOR WATER SKIS Filed June 25,' 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I l l INVENTORS i 35' 46 ROBERT E. JAHN m 3 z0 $225?" 24223;?

. w T f 40 BY Incas R- NEWCOMER JR.

I :F I I ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1960 R. E. JAHN ETAL 2,920,331

HEEL SUPPORT FOR WATER SKIS Filed June 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ROBE T E. J'Ah WARREN c. BROSS FRANK WHEELER 8 J'Aco R. NEWCOMER I4! ATraR/vEY United States Patent HEEL SUPPORT FOR WATER SKIS Robert E. Jahn, West Englewood, Warren C. Bross, Westwood, Frank Wheeler, Little Falls, and Jacob R. Newcomer, Jr., Westwood, N.J., assignors to Camloc Fastener Corporation, Paramus, N.J., a corporation of New York Application June 25, 1958, Serial No. 744,396 9 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) This invention relates to a foot support for water skis and has particular reference to the heel section of such a foot binding where the forward portion of the foot is received in a flexible pocket which is fixed in relation to the ski.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel heel receiving member for water skis which is readily movable longitudinally of the ski to an adjusted fixed position with a minimum of effort on the part 'of the user.

It is a common practice for a pair of water skis to be used by men and women whose foot sizes vary and it is considered highly desirable to make the adjustment as to foot length in a minimum amount of time and without the necessity for manipulation of a fastener such as a rotary stud fastener which requires both a locking and an unlocking action. The adjustable heel supporting assembly of the present invention is provided with a heel plate having opposed lugs which enter paired notches in a base plate having square shoulders at one or both ends, and which are retained in these notches by dependable spring pressure.

When it is desired to secure a different adjustment the foot is removed from the ski and the heel cup squeezed on opposite sides thereof, thus disengaging the lugs from the notches and by maintaining the necessary pressure thereon to keep them disengaged the heel plate can be freely moved to a desired position. Upon release of the squeezing action the lugs enter another pair of notches in a desired position.

Another object of the invention is to form a heel cup plate in two opposed longitudinal sections joined by a spring section at a point remote from the lugs so that a reasonable application of pressure on the free ends will dislodge the lugs. The lugs will, however, spring back into their outward position when the pressure is released.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel heel cup of reinforced construction and with improved means for mounting on a slidable heel cup plate.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an adjustable heel cup assembly embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the component parts thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a broken side elevation of the heel cup plate with the heel cup molded directly thereon.

Fig. 5 is a broken section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a modified construction of heel cup plates and supporting trackways.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the trackways.

A substantially U-shaped base plate 10 forms a trackway and guide for a slidable plate 11 supporting a heel cup 12. The base plate may be stamped from sheet metal and has a raised flange 13 around its inner margin. At its rear central section it has a slot 14 which does not extend into the raised flange and which acts as a guide 17 for the rear end of the heel cup plate. Adjacent its forward end the flange has a specially formed elongated opening on each side thereof, said opening being defined by end walls 15, a straight inner wall 16, and an outer wall 20 provided with a plurality of rectangular notches 21 forming shoulders at the ends of the notches. The base plate is secured to the ski by screws 22.

The heel cup plate is also of substantially U shape and be stamped from sheet metal. At its forward end the plate is formed with opposed side sections 23 having upwardly turned lugs 24 at the forward ends of its outer edges 25. It will be noted that these lugs lie just outside said edges 25. At its rear end the slidable plate is formed with opposed sections 26 spaced apart a lesser distance than plate sections 23 and which are joined by a curved section 39 forming a bending area.

The heel cup is molded in a single piece of rubber or like material and has a U-shaped base section 31 provided with an upwardly extending flange 32 around its outer margin. This base section has a central slot 33 of substantially the same width as the distance between rear sections 26 of the heel cup plate. The heel cup further includes opposed side walls 34 and a reinforcing rib 35 around its upper margin and a rib 36 extending centrally down its back to slot 33.

The cup is secured to heel plate 11 by means of generally J-shaped plates 40 of substantially the same thick ness as the height of flange 32 so that when screws 41 secure attaching plates 41) to the heel cup plate the upper surfaces of the attaching plates and the rubber flanges are flush with each other.

The opposed outer parallel edges 25 of heel cup plate 11 are spaced apart substantially the same distance as the outer longitudinal edges 20 of the elongated slots in the base plate so that when the parts are in the assembled relation of Fig. 1 and the heel plate sections 23 underlie said raised flanges 13 of the base plate the upwardly turned lugs 24 will reside in one pair of the aligned notches 2i and the opposed transverse walls of the notches lock the heel-cup plate against forward and rearward travel.

When it is desired to move the heel cups assembly to a different position the opposed walls 34 of the heel cup and the forward plate sections 23 carried thereby are squeezed together which moves the lugs 24 out of the notches and against the inner edges 16 of the elongated siots. This is easily accomplished since the bending area is some distance from the point of application of the bending forces. The opposed inner edges 16 of the slots are thus engaged by the lugs and act as a guide or track- Way during sliding movement.

in the modified form of the invention shown in :Figs. and 5 the heel cup securing plates are eliminated and the heel cup 45 is molded directly onto the heel cup plate &6. The latter has an upwardly extending flange 47 having openings 48 and the rubber mold (not shown) is placed upon the heel cup plate and the molten rubber enters the openings as shown at 50. The heel cup is thus firmly anchored to the plate and cannot be torn off under reasonable conditions of use.

When the parts are in the normal position of Fig. 1 the opposed slots 21 and the square shoulders at opposite ends of the slots limit forward and rearward travel so that under normal conditions of use with the heel of the user positioned within the heel cup the heel plate cannot he accidentally dislodged from its secured position.

in the modified arrangement of Figs. 6 and 7 the base plate structure is formed in two separate unconnected parts 55, which may be blanked and formed in a single stamping operation. The main section 56 of each plate is mounted in spaced relation to the ski 5'7 by providing two downwardly recessed corner sections 60 having holes to receive screws 61 for attachment to the ski. The outer longitudinal edge 62 and the two transverse edges 63 are curved to prevent injury to the foot and extend down to the lower plane of the recessed corner section. This curvature is best shown in Fig. 7.

The main or upper section has an elongated slot having a straight inner edge 64 and the opposite edge has a plurality of notches defined by square shoulders 65 and diagonal shoulders 66.

The heel cup plate 70 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 2 and has the narrowed rear section 71 and the U-shaped bending area 72. It also has the lugs 73 which enter the receiver in the base plates. The shoulders 65 prevent rearward travel once the lugs have entered a pair of notches but the diagonal forward edges of the notches permit forward travel of the sliding plate since they cam the lugs inwardly to produce the deflection. In this instance the narrowed rear section is guided by means of a screw 74 carrying a washer 75 which overlays the section. The screw cans have a large flat head and thus eliminate the need for a washer. This arrangement serves the same purpose as the slot 14 and upper flange 17 of Fig. 2.

If desired a flat chafing plate 76 of the same size and shape as plate 55 may underlie the latter and thus prevent the sliding heel cup plate from scratching the surface of the wooden ski.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. it is therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein.

What we claim is:

l. The combination of a water ski and an adjustable heel support therefor comprising a curved heel cup plate provided with upwardly extending lugs at its forward end and formed with a narrowed rear section whose connecting end forms a bending area when the forward ends of the plate are flexed together, a resilient heel cup secured to said plate, and a base plate secured to the ski, said base plate having inwardly facing trackways which receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate and having opposed, generally parallel, elongated openings, each having a substantially straight inner edge and a plurality of notches on its outer edge, the lugs of the heel cup plate normally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom by flexing opposed sides of the heel cup plate together.

2. An adjustable heel support for a water ski comprising a generally curved heel cup plate having substantially parallel sections and opposed, upwardly extending lugs at its forward end, a resilient heel cup secured to said plate, and a base plate secured to the ski and pro vided with a raised flange around its inner margin forming, with the upper face of the ski, opposed, inwardly facing trackways which receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate, the flange sections at the forward end of the plate having elongated openings, each having a plurality of notches on its outer edge formed with shoulders at the rear ends thereof, the lugs of the heel cup plate normally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom by flexing opposed sides of the heel plate cup together.

3. An adjustable heel support for a water ski comprising a generally U-shaped heel cup plate provided with upwardly extending lugs at its forward end and formed with a narrowed rear section whose connecting end forms a bending area when the forward ends of the plate are flexed together, a resilient heel cup secured to said plate, and a base plate secured to the ski and having inwardly facing trackways which receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate and having elongated openings each having a substantially straight inner edge and a plurality of shouldered notches on its outer edge, the lugs of the heel cup plate normally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom by flexing opposed sides of the heel cup plate together.

4. An adjustable heel support for a water ski comprising a generally U-shaped heel cup plate provided with opposed, upwardly extending lugs at its forward end, a resilient heel cup secured to said plate, and a base plate secured to the ski and provided with a raised flange around its inner margin forming, with the upper face of the ski, opposed, inwardly facing trackways which receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate, the flange sections at the forward end of the plate having elongated openings, each having a plurality of notches on its outer edge formed with shoulders at opposite ends thereof, the lugs of the heel cup plate normally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom by flexing opposed sides of the heel cup plate together.

5. An adjustable heel support for a water ski comprising a generally U-shaped heel cup plate provided with upwardly extending lugs at its forward end and formed with a narrowed rear section whose connecting end forms a bending area when the forward ends of the plate are flexed together, a resilient heel cup secured to said plate, and a base plate secured to the ski, said base plate having inwardly facing trackways which receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate and having elongated openings with a plurality of notches on its outer edge, the lugs of the heel cup plate normally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom by flexing opposed walls of the heel cup plate together, and means for guiding the rear end of the heel cup plate in its sliding movement in said trackways.

6. An adjustable heel support for a water ski comprising a generally U-shaped heel cup plate provided with upwardly extending lugs at its forward end and formed with a narrowed rear section whose connecting end forms a bending section when the forward ends of the plate are flexed together, a resilient heel cup secured to said plate, and a base plate secured to the ski and which has a central opening at its rear end through which the narrowed rear section passes in sliding relation, said base plate having inwardly facing trackways which receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate and having opposed, generally parallel, elongated openings with a plurality of generally rectangular notches on their outer edges and having substantially straight inner edges, the lugs of the heel cup plate normally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom by flexing opposed walls of the heel cup together.

7. An adjustable heel support for a water ski comprising a generally U-shaped heel cup plate provided with upwardly extending lugs at its forward end and formed with a narrowed rear section, a resilient molded heel cup secured to said plate and provided with reinforcing ribs along its upper edge and down its rear central face, and a base plate of substantially U shape which is secured to the ski and formed with a raised flange around its inner margin forming, with the upper face of the .ski, opposed, inwardly facing trackways which receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate, the flange sections at the forward end of the plate having elongated openings provided with a plurality of generally rectangular notches on their outer edges, the lugs of the heel cup plate normally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom by flexing opposed walls of the heel cup together.

8. An adjustable heel support for a water ski comprising a generally U-shaped heel cup plate provided with upwardly extending lugs on the outer edges of its forward end and formed with a narrowed rear section whose connecting end forms a bending section when the forward ends of the plate are flexed together, a resilient heel cup secured .to said plate, and a base plate of substantially U shape which is secured to the ski and which has a central opening at its rear end through which the narrowed rear section passes in sliding relation, said base plate also being formed with a raised flange around its inner margin forming, with the upper face of the ski, opposed, inwardly facing trackways which [receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate, the flange sections at the forward end of the plate having elongated openings, each having a substantially straight inner edge and a plurality of notches on its outer edge formed with square shoulders at opposite ends thereof, the lugs of the heel cup plate norm-ally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom for sliding of said plate by flexing opposed walls of the heel cup together.

9. An adjustable heel support for a water ski comprising a generally U-shaped heel cup plate provided with opposed, upwardly extending lugs at its forward end, a resilient heel cup secured to said plate, and opposed base plates secured to the ski and provided with a raised flange around their inner margins forming, with the upper face of the ski, opposed, inwardly facing trackways which receive the opposed forward edges of the heel cup plate, the flange sections having elongated openings, each having a substantially straight inner edge and a plurality of notches on its outer edge formed with shoulders, the lugs of the heel cup plate normally residing in fixed relation in a selected pair of said notches but being removable therefrom by flexing opposed sides of the heel cup plate inwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,754,526 Bridges my 17, 1956 

